Wheeled device for transporting boats



J. P. CHOPLIN WHEEL ED DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING BOATS Jan. 6, 1953 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed Dec. 5, 1949 John Paul Chop/in INVENTOR.

9 BY wimm Jan. 6, 1953 CHQPUN 2,624,591

. WHEEL-ED DEVICE FOR TRAN-SPORTING BOATS Filed Dec. 5, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 lsillllll.

i a a: 55 is z 50 i 46 i :i ii i: i

Fig. 7.

John Paul Chap/in IN VEN TOR.

Patented Jan. 6, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT VE HEELED EEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING BOATS John Paul Choplin, North Wilkesboro, N. 0.

Application December 5, 1949, Serial No. 131,126

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in dollies for boats.

An object of this invention is to support a boat by the transom thereof by means of a readily detachable and attachable device which may be used for sundry pmposes, as to transport the boat by holding it by the front end and simply pulling it to the desired location, as: a storage place or the waters edge.

Another object of this invention is to adjust portions of the boat supporting means whereby the boat may be transported so that its main plane is either horizontal or vertical whereby the boat may be pulled through a doorway or restricted area.

Other objects and features will become apparent in following the description of the illustrated form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a rear view of the device showing it in operation and showing several adjusted positions in phantom;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing particularly the means of clamping the device to the transom of a boat;

Figure 3 is an elevational view of a part of the mechanism taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a. side View of the device illustrating a suggested application of it on a boat while it is being carried on a vehicle;

Figure 5 is an elevational view with parts broken away in section to illustrate detail of construction and showing the relationship of parts when the boat is retained in the side condition for transportation;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 1 and in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure '7 is an elevational view of a part of the boat transporting device with portions broken away in section to show internal detail of construction.

The instant invention has for one of its prime intentions the simplification of boat transportation for various and sundry reasons and uses, as when transporting the boat from or to the water's edge.

In Figure 4 there is a vehicle generally indicated at H) and fragmentarily shown which illustrates the fact that the boat :2 may be disposed on top of the vehicle by means of conventional supports M for transportation. If it is desired to pull the boat behind the vehicle. the front hook or eye l6 need only be employed,

the device at the rear of the boat being used to support the boat during transit.

The actual boat dolly is extremely simple in construction. It consists of an axle l8 which has a vertical support or tube 20 at substantially the center thereof. Wheels 22 and 24 are disposed at the ends of the axle and upwardly converging supponts or tubes 26 and 28 are secured to the axle 18 adjacent [the wheels 22 and 24. The upper ends of the supports 20, 26 and 23 are formed in parallel relationship as at 30, 32 and 33 (Figure 6) and they are welded together or otherwise rigidly fixed as by employing a bolt, brazing or other conventional fastening media. The parallel portions 30, 32 and 34 form a portion of an adjustable clamp.

The other portion of the adjustable clamp is formed by the upper end of the four tubes 36, 38, I39 and 62 which are held in parallel relationship by means of welding, brazing or the like (Figure 6). The supports or tubes are substantially circular in cross-section, being made from conventional stock. Accordingly, the three parallel portions 30, 32, and 34 are interfitted or nested with respect to the four parallel supports or tubes, 36, 38, 40 and A2, respectively. A center pivot bolt 44 is passed through the two complemental portions of the clamp thus formed, and has a nut 46 at one end thereof. Hence, the two clamped portions are rotatable with respect to each other.

When the parallel tubes 36, 38, 40 and 42 are rotated about the pivot bolt 44 as an axis, the supports 30, 32, and 34 rest in the rows of recesses 50, 52, and 54, respectively, which are formed horizontally and which are parallel to each other. The nut 46 is tightened after the adjusted position is arrived at in order to hold the two clamped portions fixed with respect to each other. Stay bolts 56, 51, 58 and 60 are passed through the supports or tubes 36, 38, 40 and 42 in order to assist in maintaining them assembled as a unit.

The lower ends of the tubes 36 and 42 are substantially U-shaped in order to form a part of a C-clamn when considered with the screw 62, one being provided for each U-shaped portion. Said U-shaped portions are adapted to be disposed over the transom 66 of the boat l2.

At the upper ends of the supports 36, 38, 49, and 42 there is a stiffening angle member '68 which is welded or otherwise fixed in place. This angle member is adapted to engage the back parts of the transom to assist in maintaining the device in place on the transom. A channel 10 is fixed to the same members adjacent the lower ends thereof and is adapted to engage the transom adjacent the top part thereof. It is within the purview of the invention to employ felt or other flexible material on the channel and angle member so as to prevent marring of the finish of the boat. This is within the prerogatives of the manufacturer of the device.

In operation, the first clamp part, seen best in Figure 3, is fixed to the transom of the boat by the screws 62. Then, the second clamped part having the wheels at the IO'WBI end is disposed in parallel relationship with the first clamped part, or at substantially ninety degrees thereto, depending on the desires of the user of the dolly; or, the two units joined together may be clamped on the boat transom with the boat and wheels being in an upright position, turning the boat over to place it in operating position; or, if the boat is floating in the water or resting on elevated props in an upright position, the entire unit may be clamped on the transom of the boat with wheels downward, thus being ready for operation. At this time, the boat is ready for movement from one place to another.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A boat dolly which is adapted to be secured to the transom of a boat comprising a clamp portion with means for releasably securing the clamp portion to the transom of the boat, said clamp portion including a plurality of juxtaposed and connected members having arcuate surfaces, a second portion secured to said clamp portion and including a plurality of members having arcuate surfaces thereon interfitted between the first mentioned arcuate surfaces, and wheels carried by said second portion, said clamp portion having transverse recesses therein, a pivot bolt connect- ,4 ing said clamp portion and said second portion, said second portion seating in said recesses when rotated a predetermined degree about said pivot bolt, said clamp portion having a, plurality of U- shaped curved parts being in a plane parallel to that of the wheels, said means for releasably securing the clamp portion to the transom of the boat including a screw passing through the free extremity of each leg of each of the U-shaped parts remote from the leg of the U-shaped part adjacent the second portion and said screw being adapted to engage the inside surface of the transom of the boat.

2. The combination of claim 1, and a transom contacting member secured to one end of said clamp portion, and another transom contacting member secured to said clamp portion intermediate its ends, both of said transom contacting members extending inwardly toward the legs having the screws passing therethrough to space said clamp portion from the transom of the boat.

JOHN PAUL CHOPLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 210,156 Schultes et a1 Nov. 19, 1878 2,001,438 Stuck May 14, 1935 2,392,786 'Iormollan, Jr. Jan. 8, 1946 2,484,346 Iorns Oct. 11, 1949 2,503,199 Goldblatt et a1 Apr. 4, 1950 2,551,040 Newell May 1, 1951 

